03.25.07

This issue of Vogue had a few interesting pieces in it but overall failed to wow me. The interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali was fascinating, although not as much so as it felt like it could or should have been. She sounds like a fascinating woman. The interview with Renee Zellweger was vaguely interesting, but they always paint actors as perfect people and it gets boring. What saved this article were the bits about Beatrix Potter herself. None of the fashion spreads were particularly interesting, but the Mrs Exeter column about date dresses was pretty good. Beyond those, the issue was really pretty forgettable.

03.24.07

Pitcher’s notes at the end of the book show a lot of passion for his subject. He rather meticulously lays out multiple versions of the same essays in parallel columns to show how Bacon’s editing process worked, as far as can be seen today, and he gushes over a set of notes for what might have been another essay that never got written. His enthusiasm is wonderful, but it does little to make his writing less dry!

03.21.07

The horribly racist comments from Patty’s classmate are really awful. I really respect the way the author dealt with that, though. Not only where they really the kinds of things teenagers say, but both the spectator and Patty reacted realistically (as sad as that is). Even more depressing is that she also portrayed as school system’s response to it fairly realistically. If the bully were someone else, something would be done, and everyone involved knows that. I really hate that about school systems. My private high school was terrible about things like that. If you had the right family you could get away with absolutely anything. A year or two after I graduated one of my favorite teachers quit because of an incident where some students broke very serious rules and suffered absolutely no consequences because of who they were. I was so proud of her that day and so disappointed in the school administration. She had been teaching there for years, too. They lost a lot when she quit.

One thing that drives me crazy about Bacon is his absolute lack of any regard for the common people. In his eyes they were dirty, stupid and rude by nature. They could only appreciate the lowest of humor and would never be able to follow even the simplest logic. He counts them among a kingdom’s assets the way some people might count pigs as such. It’s arrogant and short sighted and stupid of him. It drives me crazy!

03.19.07

The writing in this book is phenomenal. It is funny and real and each major character has a clear, distinctive voice. I’m incredibly impressed so far. I really like Patty. She’s a great character and even though she is far from perfect, you absolutely sympathize with her. She recognizes her own shortcomings, but often doesn’t do anything about them and her reactions and impulses are extremely natural and real. It’s wonderful to read! I’ve barely begun the story but I already care very much about what happens to the characters.

Bacon lays out his “perfect” garden as obsessively as he did a house before. He also believes that studies will “cure” any type of ailment of the mind. It’s very strange. That essay, “Of Studies”, does have some of my favorite Bacon quotes, though!

“Reading maketh a full man.”

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.”

It’s really sweet that Bruce watched over Barbara and paid for her to have super-expensive amazing treatment, but why doesn’t he show her that he loves her? Why is it a big secret? It’s so dumb! He’s like another father to her and everyone who matters knows that, so why can’t he just show it? Why does he have to kiss her forehead when she’s sleeping instead of when she’s awake and can appreciate it? He needs to grow up!

I was a little confused by Bacon’s layout for a house. It seemed like half the house would sit unused most of the time unless the owner was a king, and the house clearly wasn’t designed for a king. Why would you want half your house to lie unused so much of the time? It seemed particularly odd since Bacon has said he disapproves of the parties and such that half would be for anyway, so why did he design it that way?

03.18.07

Barbara really needs to deal with the mess Brainiac left behind. It is not a good thing. She also now needs to cope with Helena. I’m not sure what to say about that one, but I do wonder how Metropolis is “back woods”. I guess we’ll see what happens there. Dinah telling off Batman was awesome, though! I really loved that!

Bacon seems to feel the need to micro-manage everything! His descriptions of how a masque should be conducted went all the way down to the type and placement of the decorations! I’m surprised he didn’t describe what everyone should wear! And this was after he said that he disapproves of masques in general.